U.S. CENSUS DEALS WITH SPECIAL CASE OF FORWARDER AS USPPI

U.S. CENSUS DEALS WITH SPECIAL CASE OF FORWARDER AS USPPI    While the U.S. Census Bureau doesn’t permit freight forwarders to be listed as exporters on shipper’s export declarations, the agency has cited a special case where the rules may not necessarily apply.
   The forwarder may be listed in Block 1A of the SED, known as the “U.S. Principal Party in Interest,” for goods in transit through the United States. These goods are formally entered into Customs’ Automated Broker Interface for the forwarder’s convenience and later shipped to another country. The forwarder needs the overseas shipper’s power of attorney to use its name as the USPPI.
   Charles A. Woods, assistant division chief of Census’ Foreign Trade Division, will soon issue a Foreign Trade Statistics Regulation letter to the industry to clarify this special case.
'    In addition, the agency will release another Foreign Trade Statistics Regulation letter emphasizing the requirement for shippers to file SEDs for shipments moving between the U.S. mainland and Puerto Rico. This is required under the auspices of a U.S./Puerto Rico government contract to capture trade statistics for these shipments.